Redecorating by Deadline

The colors are pale green for the walls, and a warm cream for the woodwork and ceiling. (The ceiling had to be painted because there are strips of molding dividing it into sections and I was sloppy about painting them!). We decided to leave the wallpaper in the back of the built-in bookshelves, because it was in good shape, and because it didn't look so bad with the new wall color.

Painting the walls, ceiling and woodwork (including built-in bookshelves) took all of Wednesday, all of Thursday, and all of Friday. I often wonder how the "Trading Spaces" folks do their painting jobs in one day - I'm sorry, but I can't work that fast! Also, we have no air conditioning and relied on small fans to keep the August heat and humidity at bay. One's energy quickly dissipates when working in these conditions.

Finally, Saturday (the deadline) revealed a room in soft colors with drapes hung back on the windows. I painted a small wooden dresser (from someone's yard sale) and a wooden bookcase in the same green as the walls. Because these are "junk" furniture I did not want them to compete with the antiques and the four-poster that would go into the room. Painting them the same color as the walls not only made them much more alike, but also helped them to recede against the walls inconspicuously.

Next, we brought in the four-poster and assembled it, as well as a drop-lid desk and chair of my mother's, and a mahogany nightstand. A very worn but still comfortable chaise lounge in white damask went against the windows. Books went back on the shelves, family photos and floral still life paintings went on the walls. An area rug for each side of the bed completed the comfortable furnishings.

Because I already had the furniture, the drapes, and the bedding, our total expenditure for this transformation was less than one hundred dollars. Oh yes, that very day we bought a lovely window fan for our guests...

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